Thursday 5th July
For today, a non-sailing Travellers Tale…
Someone to whom I was once closely related is at present drifting around Spain and Portugal. Mainly having a wonderful time but…with a few glitches.
His first mishap was that his one and only credit card was swallowed by an ATM, never to be seen again. Katy received a panicky email and stepped up to the mark, as she does. She got a new card and sent it to Chile, where Pepa is preparing to leave for Spain in a few weeks. Thad actually does have enough cash on his person to tide him over, but having one’s credit card chewed up never to be seen again is always an unpleasant experience.
I think the next mini-disaster is best if I leave it in his own words
Having taken a very early, pre-breakfast bus from La Alberca to Bejar yesterday, I decided to find something to eat here in Bejar, but with the place seemingly shut to almost anyone needing sustentance, I resorted to a bar where I could have breakfast mussels, blood sausage or octopus with a coffee. I chose octopus, just a tapa size amount (which is small) and when finished strolled about to see what delights this town had to offer, and the sad reality is very little. The locals all say it is too quiet.
A couple of hours later, my stomach felt unusually squirmish and I retreated to my room to chill out and see what happened. It got worse and I thought that I might actually be hungry so I went off to get some bus times information and something to eat.
The cafetería was nearly empty, with no cook, so I ordered another coffee, a glass of water and some kind of apple slice.
Next thing, I was feeling seriously weird and I suddenly turned on the perspiration tap on my head, wetter than in a shower! I could tell I was going to chuck, so I stood up to go to the loo, remember two steps and the next thing I know about was a collection of worried people standing around my sprawled out body. I managed to sit up, drag myself to the loo and emptied myself beyond the scientifically possible parameters... and then found a paramedic standing beside me.
When we went back out, I discovered that on the way to hitting the floor, I had vomited and the floor was covered in blood. I had landed hard on my right elbow, stripping a bit of skin which later had to be stitched and on the back of my head which was the source of most blood. Anyway, I knew the symptoms and what had happened and especially when the relief after throwing up was so instantaneous.
Into the ambulance, off to the hospital and there I met the best crew you could meet... and luckily, I spoke Spanish because none of them spoke English to a useful extent. We looked at my travel insurance and discovered that the medical cover was for accidents only and I explained that eating poison octopus was always an accident... which they liked. But it didn't technically count, they simply said don't worry, we will fix you anyway free of charge and that was that. When I offered to get some cash, they refused!
Ok, got my elbow stitches and my head wound cleaned and dressed, then time to sit around being observed and after a couple of hours, I thought I would be fine to go back to my room. Well, I got halfway and found myself again on the ground with another guy calling an ambulance and a pool of blood from another head wound, which this time needed stitches as well. Because it was second time, they electrocardiagrammed me, checked blood sugars, asked if I was out in the sun in the heat, which was no since I take a siesta then and we returned to hospital.
I got put on a litre of electolytes in a drip, sewn up and set aside in a cool place for quite some time with very gentle, regular and good attention. About 6 hours later, at 10.45 pm, I was judged ok to go again and this time I made it.
So at the moment, I have had a night of no sleep because every movement woke me up, elbow, bum (which I landed on the second time since I was propped at an angle against a wall resting) and shoulder which took a huge impact in one of the falls, though I don't know which. There are no breaks anywhere, no different sensations that could come from either the bum or the shoulder landing and no concussion. The doctor gave me strong pain killers, but I said I would use them if needed after monitoring for concussion for 12 hours or so, which he thought a highly intelligent thing to do, and was surprised that I knew how to monitor things. Good stuff those old first aid and then remote area first aid courses. Everyone should have some of that in their background.
Anyway, I haven't eaten a thing today except a peach and two apricots and I just went back to the cafe where it all began to show the waitress that I was ok, and to have a coffee. Then I walked around a bit before returning to my room and I can tell you, I feel a hell of a lot better, except for the bruised bits and that will take some time to change. I'm expecting deep bruising to come out in the next few days.
It all sounds too awful, doesn’t it? But he has taken it all in his stride and I think he is enjoying his Spanish/Portuguese adventure immensely.
A couple of hours later, my stomach felt unusually squirmish and I retreated to my room to chill out and see what happened. It got worse and I thought that I might actually be hungry so I went off to get some bus times information and something to eat.
The cafetería was nearly empty, with no cook, so I ordered another coffee, a glass of water and some kind of apple slice.
Next thing, I was feeling seriously weird and I suddenly turned on the perspiration tap on my head, wetter than in a shower! I could tell I was going to chuck, so I stood up to go to the loo, remember two steps and the next thing I know about was a collection of worried people standing around my sprawled out body. I managed to sit up, drag myself to the loo and emptied myself beyond the scientifically possible parameters... and then found a paramedic standing beside me.
When we went back out, I discovered that on the way to hitting the floor, I had vomited and the floor was covered in blood. I had landed hard on my right elbow, stripping a bit of skin which later had to be stitched and on the back of my head which was the source of most blood. Anyway, I knew the symptoms and what had happened and especially when the relief after throwing up was so instantaneous.
Into the ambulance, off to the hospital and there I met the best crew you could meet... and luckily, I spoke Spanish because none of them spoke English to a useful extent. We looked at my travel insurance and discovered that the medical cover was for accidents only and I explained that eating poison octopus was always an accident... which they liked. But it didn't technically count, they simply said don't worry, we will fix you anyway free of charge and that was that. When I offered to get some cash, they refused!
Ok, got my elbow stitches and my head wound cleaned and dressed, then time to sit around being observed and after a couple of hours, I thought I would be fine to go back to my room. Well, I got halfway and found myself again on the ground with another guy calling an ambulance and a pool of blood from another head wound, which this time needed stitches as well. Because it was second time, they electrocardiagrammed me, checked blood sugars, asked if I was out in the sun in the heat, which was no since I take a siesta then and we returned to hospital.
I got put on a litre of electolytes in a drip, sewn up and set aside in a cool place for quite some time with very gentle, regular and good attention. About 6 hours later, at 10.45 pm, I was judged ok to go again and this time I made it.
So at the moment, I have had a night of no sleep because every movement woke me up, elbow, bum (which I landed on the second time since I was propped at an angle against a wall resting) and shoulder which took a huge impact in one of the falls, though I don't know which. There are no breaks anywhere, no different sensations that could come from either the bum or the shoulder landing and no concussion. The doctor gave me strong pain killers, but I said I would use them if needed after monitoring for concussion for 12 hours or so, which he thought a highly intelligent thing to do, and was surprised that I knew how to monitor things. Good stuff those old first aid and then remote area first aid courses. Everyone should have some of that in their background.
Anyway, I haven't eaten a thing today except a peach and two apricots and I just went back to the cafe where it all began to show the waitress that I was ok, and to have a coffee. Then I walked around a bit before returning to my room and I can tell you, I feel a hell of a lot better, except for the bruised bits and that will take some time to change. I'm expecting deep bruising to come out in the next few days.
It all sounds too awful, doesn’t it? But he has taken it all in his stride and I think he is enjoying his Spanish/Portuguese adventure immensely.
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